New Site Booking System

Hey do as you wish, I'm not on commission from the post office nor suggesting anyone should get it, I was simply answering K's query.

As I said we have it in place for the holiday cottages that we're using a lot now and where the costs are far higher. Although I remember paying quite a high three figure sum for 17 days at the Cromer site in 2019.

Morning

I understand your and "it seems many others" perceived situation. I also understand your long term membership status. But, we are now entering a new era of the Caravan and Motorhome Club which includes a new system to book pitches (still in April by the way). If you have to cancel within the time period (not amend) the deposit will be forfeit. There will be however a dedicated channel to discuss personal circumstance if you feel you'd like that deposit back. I don't know details but I'm just letting you know.

Just for the record I look on other media including the busiest from Motorhome Fun and in my opinion the overall majority of people are all for the new deposit system not the "vocal minority" you mention.

JK

Indeed. Especially if they modelled any offering along the lines of their overseas insurance. When we cancelled an over there booking with red pennant the excesses totalled £110. Add on the expense of the insurance and your deposit loss would have to be very large indeed to make it worthwhile.

My point on the PO insurance is that while it is representative of UK travel insurance, it really is not tailored to the protection of deposits on caravan site bookings (especially when the full amount has not yet been paid).  The best organisation to offer cover would be The Caravan Club themselves since they already have some considerable experience in insurance products, plus they have the customers' attention at point of booking.

All it would require is an option button to select "deposit protection" and the addition of the appropriate fee.  We could well discuss what others on here think would a suitable fee per booking.  Or could the Club simply incorporate deposit protection in all bookings?  

I don't think insurance is a practical solution as there are so many situations that come along in life not just personal but family issues that can cause a holiday to be cancelled, for the cost of a camping holiday the insurance cost would outweigh the loss.

I suspect a lot of forward booking by long stay members is to ensure a full 2-3 week stay before the weekends are blocked,I believe the weekend block bookings will continue and pitch availability still be a problem.

I agree.....insurance,unless possibly offered by the club, does not seem the way to go here.

The premiums on the Post Office one would probably be more than the deposits lost, and the length of trip covered is insufficient for us.

 Not really suitable for touring holidays.

Block booking is such an emotive term. Surely if 50 or so folk book the weekend at a particular site, they are just bookings. Even though the weekend may show as unavailable for anyone wanting a longer stay. They are probably working in the week and fancy a weekend break.
We book 6 / 7 weekends in a row at different sites during our tours. Perhaps we are guilty of block booking.🤔

Agree Steve.   We stopped booking crossings where we could not afford to lose the fare, or were not able to cancel for a small fee, something like £20, and as we did not book sites, we just waited till we were sure we would be travelling to buy the RP insurance.

Have prices on RP  not gone silly now for the over 70s?      Not been abroad since 2017.

JK posted..."If you have to cancel within the time period (not amend) the deposit will be forfeit."

perhaps you've answered my earlier question?...changing to a different site and/or a later date seems to me like you would use the same 'rolled on' deposit?

It is a problem when every week has a weekend!